Mayor Alderman Hilary McClintock
LOCAL people are being encouraged to give their views on a wide range of planning topics which will inform the preparation of the Local Development Plan (LDP) for the Derry City and Strabane District.
Planning officials are seeking responses on 22 key planning issues as part of the European IMPROVE project, supported by Derry City and Strabane District Council.
Within N. Ireland this project is unique to DCSDC and provides an extra opportunity for citizens to engage with planning officials as the first LDP for the district is prepared.
The Improve Project also includes partners from Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Donegal County Council – working together to find enhanced ways of communicating and delivering public services to citizens.
All the topics – including retailing, economics and housing – are now available for comment with a deadline of February 14 set for feedback.
The final topic up for consideration is a Settlement Hierarchy Evaluation, and Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Alderman Hilary McClintock, urged people to take the opportunity to have their say.
“It is so important at these early stages that the public contributes to what will be the overarching plan for our entire City and District going forwards.
“The Planning team want to gauge as much as possible the feedback from local people on how the various settlements should be categorised and where the district’s development should be focussed – in a sustainable manner.”
The Settlement Evaluation is an essential part of the LDP preparation process and will inform a new settlement hierarchy for the Council area.
Council will undertake a strategic review of all the existing settlements – the City, Towns, Villages and Small Settlements as identified in the current Derry Area Plan 2011 and the Strabane Area Plan 2001 – to identify their role within the proposed new hierarchy.
Chair of the Council’s Planning Committee, Councillor John Boyle, said: “We would really like to establish the thoughts of local people on this issue and across the range of planning topics to ensure the POP, and ultimately the final Plan, reflects the views of as many people here as possible.”
To find out more about the LDP process, the IMPROVE project and how to get involved, just access the link below to the Council’s LDP IMPROVE website and leave your feedback via a short series of questions on each of the planning issues important to you:
http://www.derrystrabane.com/Subsites/LDP/Local-Development-Plan
